Great Things Are Happening at Detroit Public Schools

The DPS Education and Enrollment Expo

Detroit Public Schools’ high-energy Back-to-School Parade and Rally are back for the third year in a row, on a new weekend day with a brand new Education and Enrollment Expo that will offer parents a one-stop opportunity to enroll in DPS and get their children ready for school.

Gospel artist Vickie Winans will host the rally and serve as grand marshal for the parade, which will include Curious George, the return of the All City Marching Band and classic parade floats.

Where and When:

10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday August 27 in Downtown Detroit

The event will feature major school supply and backpack giveaways, free food, free immunizations, and school uniform giveaways. Sponsors include Mr. Alan’s, Office Depot, Forman Mills and Sodexo.

Watch the video below and learn more about the educational advantages DPS has available now!

More about the Parade, featuring Vickie Winans and Curious George

The high-stepping parade will be bigger and better this year. It will begin at 11 a.m. at Grand Circus Park and make its way down Woodward Avenue past the iconic Spirit of Detroit statue, which will be dressed for the occasion in a signature blue DPS shirt, and end up at Hart Plaza, where the rally and expo will take place.

Gospel artist Vickie Winans will serve as grand marshal, and the parade will include the debut of the newly reconstituted Detroit All-City Marching Band and signature floats from The Parade Company, which produces the America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Curious George will give away books to children along the parade route.

Detroit Public Schools is creating Centers of Excellence in every school in every neighborhood. The district’s primary mission is educating students to perform at high academic levels.

This fall, the district unveiled reforms throughout the district’s 141 schools, including expanded time for reading and mathematics under a common core curriculum, pre-algebra for 7th graders, a tutor for every pre-kindergartner through the Volunteer Reading Corps, additional language courses available, Advanced Placement courses available at every high school, more opportunities for student apprenticeships, internships, shadowing and mentorships, millions of dollars in school building improvements, and new safety and security systems in every school through a $41.7 million public safety plan.